Blower assembly

ABSTRACT

A blower assembly includes a blower and a guiding device. The blower has an inlet and an outlet perpendicular to the inlet. The blower expels air along a first plane from the outlet. The guiding device is arranged on the blower, and communicates with the blower at the inlet of the blower. The guiding device defines an inlet to guide air input along a second plane that is parallel with the first plane.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a blower assembly, and particularly to a blower assembly for dissipating heat from electronic devices.

2. Description of Related Art

Electronic devices such as central processing units (CPUs) frequently generate large amounts of heat during normal operation, which can destabilize operation of the electronic device and possibly cause damage. Oftentimes, a heat dissipation assembly is used to dissipate heat from the electronic device. The heat dissipation assembly frequently comprises a fan facilitating removal of heat from the electronic device.

As computer technology continues to advance, the electronic devices of computers are being made to provide faster operational speeds and greater functional capabilities, which cause more heat to be generated. Therefore, blowers are used to dissipate the generated heat instead of ordinary fans. FIG. 1 shows a conventional blower 10′. The blower 10′ includes a housing, a fan blade unit 12′ disposed in the housing, an inlet 14′, and an outlet 16′. The inlet 14′ is defined in an end side wall of the housing, the outlet 16′ is defined in a peripheral surface of the housing. In operation, air is sucked into the fan blade unit 12′ through the inlet 14′, pressurized by fan blades, and expelled from the outlet 16′. The inlet 14′ is open and receives air from various directions. In most computer cases, air from certain directions is hot, which reduces heat dissipation efficiency. In addition, the conventional blower has an irregular shape, which causes limitations in assembly.

What is needed is a blower assembly which overcomes the above problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An exemplary blower assembly includes a blower and a guiding device. The blower has an inlet, and an outlet perpendicular to the inlet. The blower expels air along a first plane from the outlet. The guiding device is arranged on the blower, and communicates with the blower at the inlet of the blower. The guiding device defines an inlet to guide air input along a second plane that is parallel with the first plane.

Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a conventional blower;

FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of a blower assembly in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an inverted view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a blower assembly in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a blower assembly in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an exploded, isometric view of a blower assembly in accordance with a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention, the blower assembly includes a blower and a guiding device;

FIG. 8 is an inverted view of the blower of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is an assembled view of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a blower assembly in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided for heat dissipation of an electronic device. The blower assembly includes a blower 10, and a guiding device 20 physically separable from the blower 10.

The blower 10 has a fan blade unit 12 rotatably installed therein. An end side wall of the blower 10 which is perpendicular to an axis of the fan blade unit 12 defines an inlet 14. A peripheral side wall of the blower 10 which is parallel to the axis defines an outlet 16. A first column 18 and a second column 19 protrude from the peripheral side wall of the blower 10. The first column 18 defines a mounting hole 182 therein, and the second column 19 defines a mounting hole 192 therein.

The guiding device 20 includes a first side plate 21, and a second side plate 23 opposite to the first side plate 21. The first and second side plates 21, 23 are substantially rectangular except that a corner thereof is curved. Three side plates connect three edges of the first and second side plates 21, 23, and an opening is defined between the fourth edges of the first and second side plates 21, 23 and acts as an inlet 22. The second side plate 23 is stepped, and forms a curved surface 232 at the stepped place. The second side plate 23 at its lower side defines an outlet 24, which has substantially a same configuration and a same size as the inlet 14 of the blower 10. Therefore, the air input direction of the guiding device 20 is perpendicular to the air output direction of the guiding device 20. A column 294 is formed on the curved corner of the first and second side plates 21, 23, and a mounting hole 296 is defined in the column 294. A recess 234 is defined in the curved surface 232, and a mounting hole 236 is defined in the first and second side plates 21, 23 in alignment with the recess 234.

Referring also to FIG. 4, in assembly, the blower 10 is placed on the second side plate 23 of the guiding device 20 with the second column 19 received in the recess 234 of the curved surface 232 and a curved portion of the peripheral side wall abutting against the curved surface 232. The mounting holes 236, 296 are in alignment with the mounting holes 192, 182, respectively. Screws 90 respectively extend through the mounting holes 236, 296, and then engage in the mounting holes 192, 182, thereby securing the blower 10 to the guiding device 20. At this time, the inlet 14 of the blower 10 is in communication with the outlet 24 of the guiding device 20.

In operation, when the fan blade unit 12 rotates, air is sucked into the blower 10 through the inlet 22 of the guiding device 20. After being pressurized by the fan blade unit 12, the air is expelled out of the blower 10 through the outlet 16 of the blower 10. That is, the air is sucked in and directed along a plane parallel with a plane along which the air is expelled. The air input direction can be at any angle except certain angles from which air is hot with the air output direction. Preferrably, the angle is greater than 90 degrees. In this embodiment, the angle is 180 degrees.

Because the size of the inlet 22 of the guiding device 20 determines the volume of air intake, the size of the inlet 22 can be changed according to need.

Referring to FIG. 5, a blower assembly in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a blower 30, and a guiding device 40 integrally formed at an end side wall of the blower 30.

The blower 30 includes a fan blade unit 32 rotatably installed therein. An end side wall of the blower 30, which is perpendicular to an axis of the fan blade unit 32 defines an inlet 34. A peripheral side wall of the blower 30 which is parallel to the axis defines an outlet 36. The guiding device 40 integrally extends from the end side wall of the blower 30 around the inlet 34, and further extends out of the peripheral side wall of the blower 30 to form an inlet 42. The air is sucked in and directed along a plane parallel with a plane along which the air is expelled. A pair of columns 38 protrudes from the peripheral side wall of the blower 30. A mounting hole 382 is defined in each column 38 for screws extending therethrough to secure the blower assembly to an electronic device or a support platform.

Referring to FIG. 6, a blower assembly in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The blower assembly includes a generally box-shaped housing 50, which has four side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall. The housing 50 is divided into two sections by a dividing board. A fan blade unit 52 is positioned in a lower section of the housing 50. An outlet 54 protrudes from a lower portion of one of the side walls of the housing 50, corresponding to the fan blade unit 52. The division board defines a circular opening for communicating the lower section and an upper section of the housing 50. An inlet 56 defined in an upper portion of an opposite side wall communicates with the outside. The four side walls and the top and bottom walls of the housing 50 each form a mounting portion. In this embodiment, the mounting portion includes two mounting holes 58 for screws engaging thereinto, thereby securing the blower assembly.

The four side walls and the top and bottom walls are generally flat planes and each provided with the mounting portion, thereby facilitating users to choose a suitable wall as a mounting wall according to need. In addition, although the inlet 56 is preferably defined in an upright side wall opposite to an upright side wall in which the outlet 54 is defined, the inlet 56 can be defined in any of four upright side walls of the housing 50 according to need.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, a blower assembly in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown. The blower assembly includes a blower 60, and a guiding device 70 physically separable from the blower 60. The blower 60 is generally box-shaped, and includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and four side walls. A fan blade unit 62 is installed in the blower 60, an inlet 64 is defined in the bottom wall, and an outlet 66 protrudes from one of the side walls. A plurality of mounting holes 68 is defined in each of the top and bottom walls and the side walls of the blower 60.

The guiding device 70 is generally box-shaped. A top wall of the guiding device 70 defines an outlet 74. An upright side wall of the guiding device 60 defines an inlet 72. A plurality of mounting holes 76 is defined in the top wall of the guiding device 70 corresponding to the mounting holes 68 of the bottom wall of the blower 60 for engagement with the blower 60 via screws 90.

Referring also to FIG. 9, in assembly, the guiding device 70 is mounted to the blower 60 via the screws 90. The outlet 74 of the guiding device 70 is in communication with the inlet 64 of the blower 60. The air is sucked in and directed along a plane parallel with a plane along which the air is expelled. The guiding device 70 can be selectively mounted to the blower 60 at any direction, whereby the air input direction of the guiding device 70 can be at any angle with the air output direction of the blower 60 according to need. In addition, the guiding device 70 and the blower 60 are box-shaped, thereby facilitating users to choose a suitable wall as a mounting wall according to need.

The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the invention has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiment described therein. 

1. A blower assembly comprising: a blower having an inlet, and an outlet perpendicular to the inlet, the blower expelling air along a first plane from the outlet; and a guiding device being arranged on the blower, the guiding device communicating with the blower at the inlet of the blower, and defining an inlet to guide air input along a second plane that is parallel with the first plane.
 2. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guiding device comprises a first side plate, and a second side plate opposite to the first side plate, the second side plate defines an opening corresponding to the inlet of the blower, and the blower is attached to the second side plate.
 3. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second side plate of the guiding device is stepped, and forms a curved surface at a stepped place to abut against a curved peripheral side wall of the blower.
 4. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein a recess is defined in the curved surface of the guiding device, a column is formed on the curved peripheral side wall of the blower to be engagingly received in the recess.
 5. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein three side plates connect three edges of the first and second side plates, and an opening is defined between the fourth edges of the first and second side plates and acts as the inlet of the guiding device.
 6. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guiding device integrally extends from an end side wall of the blower around the outlet of the blower, and further extends out of a peripheral side wall of the blower to form the inlet of the guiding device.
 7. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 1, comprising a generally box-shaped housing which is divided into upper and lower sections by a division board, wherein a fan blade unit of the blower is positioned in the lower section of the housing, the outlet of the blower is defined in one of four side walls of the housing, corresponding to the fan blade unit, the division board defines an opening for communicating the lower section and the upper section of the housing, the inlet of the guiding device is defined in another one of the four side walls of the housing communicating with the upper section.
 8. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein a mounting portion is formed at each of top and bottom walls and the four side walls of the housing.
 9. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blower and the guiding device are generally box-shaped, and physically separable, the outlet of the blower protrudes from an upright side wall thereof, the inlet of the blower is defined in a bottom wall thereof, a top wall of the guiding device defines an opening communicating with the inlet of the blower, the inlet of the guiding device is defined in an upright side wall thereof.
 10. A blower assembly comprising: a blower comprising a fan blade unit rotatably installed therein, an end side wall of the blower which is perpendicular to an axis of the fan blade unit, defining an inlet, a peripheral side wall of the blower which is parallel to the axis defining an outlet; and a guiding device being integrally formed with or physically separable from the end side wall of the blower, and communicating with the blower at the inlet of the blower, the guiding device defining an inlet at a peripheral side wall that is perpendicular to the end side wall of the blower.
 11. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 10, being generally box-shaped, and forming at least one mounting portion at each of side walls thereof for selective placement at one of several orientations.
 12. A blower assembly comprising: a blower comprising a housing and a fan blade unit rotatably installed in the housing, an end side wall of the housing which is perpendicular to an axis of the fan blade unit, defining an inlet for air entering into the housing therethrough, a peripheral side wall of the housing which is parallel to the axis defining an outlet for air expelling from the housing therethrough in an air output direction; and a guiding device arranged on the end side wall of the housing, the guiding device defining an outlet communicating with the inlet of the blower and an inlet for guiding air enterring into the guiding device in an air input direction, the inlet being so oriented that an angle formed between the air input direction and the air output direction is greater than 90 degrees.
 13. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the air input direction and the air output direction are located at two parallel planes.
 14. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the angle formed between the air input direction and the air output direction is 180 degrees.
 15. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the guiding device is integrally formed with the housing of the blower.
 16. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the guiding device is detachably mounted to the housing of the blower.
 17. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the housing and the guiding device are generally cuboid box-shaped.
 18. The blower assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein at least one mounting portion is formed at each of walls of the housing configured for facilitating selectively mounting the blower assembly to a support member at a plurality of orientations. 